Due to accidental collision while running, if the batter falls short of the ground when wickets are broken, is it considered as ‘OUT’ or ‘NOT OUT’?
Reference at the time of writing this article: MCC’s The Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code (3rd Edition–2022).
Time and again we have come across the situation of batters colliding with each other or batter/s colliding with the fielders while taking a run. We have seen many times the batter is dismissed ‘RUNOUT’ even after a collision taking place while running. We have witnessed quite a few well-known incidents in international cricket which were debated at length by game watchers. We have also seen the members of the fielding side showing no intent to dismiss a batter ‘RUNOUT’ even when the batter is well short of the ground under the circumstance of a collision, clearly knowing that, if appealed, the batter will be given OUT-RUNOUT.
The situation and the intent above clearly indicate that the batter will be given OUT-RUNOUT, with the batter short of the ground when the wickets are broken under ‘accidental collision’. Let us further read through to see if there are any ways the batter gets immunity from dismissal due to an accidental collision.
Let us see, where we can fit the incident narrated in the question in any of the following scenarios where the batter gets immunity from being dismissed ‘RUNOUT’.
Following are the situations under which a batter can be NOT OUT-RUNOUT.
1. The batter makes the ground good before the wicket is put down by the fielder.
2. Before the batter makes the ground good, the wicket is put down by the ball which is not touched by any fielder.
3. While running, after making the ground good, the batter loses contact with the ground behind the popping crease in the forward running momentum.
4. While diving, after making the ground good, because of the dive the batter subsequently loses contact with the ground behind the popping crease (either with the bat still in hand or losing the bat from the hand).
5. After making the ground good, the batter leaves the ground (comes out of the popping crease), only to avoid any type of injury.
The incident related to an accidental collision doesn’t fit into any of the above scenarios. It looks a little close to point number 5, however as the collision has occurred before the batter has made the ground good, the batter cannot get immunity under point number 5.
So, it is now clear that the batter will be given OUT-RUNOUT on appeal if the accidental collision results in the batter falling short of the ground and the wickets are broken. However, if the collision occurs after the batter has already made the ground, and due to the collision, the batter falls out of the ground and then the wickets are broken, the batters get immunity under point 5.